Expanding Your Sentences: SVO with that- and what-clauses
Welcome! Have you ever wanted to share your thoughts, feelings, or secrets in English, but felt limited to simple sentences? For example, you already know how to say simple things like "I know Ken" or "I play soccer." But what if you want to say something bigger, like "I think that soccer is exciting," or "I know what you want"?
In this chapter, you will learn how to plug a whole mini-thought (called a clause) right into the object spot of a sentence. Don't worry if this sounds a bit technical at first—by the end of this guide, you will be using these patterns naturally in your daily conversations, presentations, and writing!
Quick Warm-Up: What is SVO?
Before jumping into the new patterns, let's take a quick look at the basic building block: SVO.
• S (Subject / 主語): Who or what does the action? (I, You, We, Ken...)
• V (Verb / 動詞): What is the action or state? (like, know, think, play...)
• O (Object / 目的語): Who or what receives the action? (music, an apple, English...)
Look at this simple example:
I (S) know (V) the answer (O).
Normally, the object is just a simple noun like the answer. But in English, you can also put a small sentence inside that object spot! That is where that-clauses and what-clauses come in.
Note: Looking for other object patterns like to-infinitives and gerunds? Those are covered separately in the chapter on SVO with gerund / to-infinitive / how to.
Key Takeaway: An object doesn't have to be just one word. It can be a whole mini-sentence that tells what you think, know, or feel!
Part 1: Sharing Facts and Thoughts with that-clauses
How It Works: [Subject + Verb + that + mini-sentence]
Think of the word that as a small bridge or a pair of quotation marks. It connects your main action (like thinking or knowing) to the complete idea you want to express.
Here is an easy everyday formula:
[ Subject ] + [ Verb ] + that + [ Subject + Verb ... ]
Let's look at an example:
I think that soccer is exciting.
• Subject: I
• Verb: think
• Object (that-clause): that soccer is exciting
In this sentence, the entire idea "that soccer is exciting" is the object of the verb think. It answers the question: "What do you think?"
Common Verbs Used with that-clauses
We use this pattern all the time to share our opinions, report facts, or express hopes. Here are the most helpful verbs to know:
• think (〜と思う): I think that he is kind. (I think that he is a kind person.)
• know (〜を知っている / 分かっている): We know that the Earth is round. (We know the fact that the Earth is round.)
• believe (〜と信じている): She believes that her team will win.
• hope (〜だと望む / 願う): I hope that it will be sunny tomorrow.
• say (〜と言う): Ken said that he was busy.
Cool Shortcut: The Disappearing that!
Did you know? In everyday spoken English and friendly messages, people very often drop the word that completely!
Compare these two sentences:
• I think that English is fun. (Clear and standard)
• I think English is fun. (Completely natural and widely used!)
Both sentences mean the exact same thing. When you are listening or reading, if you see two subjects and two verbs close together without a connecting word, a hidden that is usually right there doing its job!
Key Takeaway: Use that + mini-sentence after verbs like think, know, and hope to express your ideas and opinions. You can freely leave out that when speaking!
Part 2: Talking About Specific Things with what-clauses
What is a what-clause?
Sometimes you don't want to say a whole statement like "it is sunny." Instead, you want to talk about "the thing that..." or "what someone said." That is where a what-clause comes in!
Look at this pair of ideas:
• Simple noun: I know the answer.
• Clause as object: I know what you mean.
In the second sentence, what you mean acts like a single noun package meaning "the thing that you mean." It fits right into the object spot!
Common Verbs Used with what-clauses
You will hear and use this pattern often in daily communication:
• know: Do you know what this is? (Do you know what this thing is?)
• understand: I understand what she said. (I understand the words/ideas she spoke.)
• see: Now I see what you want to do. (Now I understand what you want to do.)
• remember: I don't remember what he bought. (I don't recall the thing he bought.)
Watch the Word Order! (A Very Common Trap)
This is the number one thing that catches students off guard, but once you know the secret trick, you won't make this mistake!
When what starts an ordinary question, the verb comes before the subject:
• Regular question: What is this? (Verb first, then subject)
BUT when the what-clause is tucked inside another sentence as an object, it follows normal statement order: what + subject + verb!
• Correct: Do you know what this is? (what + subject + verb)
• Incorrect: Do you know what is this? (Do not use question order inside the clause!)
• Correct: Tell me what you want.
• Incorrect: Tell me what do you want.
Memory Trick: Think of the what-clause as a calm, normal sentence, not an energetic question. Keep the subject first, followed by the verb!
Key Takeaway: Inside a what-clause, always keep the order: what + subject + verb.
Part 3: Choosing Between that and what
How do you choose whether to use that or what after a verb? Let's make it super simple!
1. Use that when the clause is already a complete sentence on its own
If you take away that, the remaining words form a full, standalone sentence with nothing missing:
• I know that Emi likes green tea.
Check: Is "Emi likes green tea" a complete sentence? Yes! Nothing is missing. So use that.
2. Use what when the clause needs a "thing" to be complete
If you look at the mini-sentence and realize an object or piece is missing, what fills that missing spot:
• I know what Emi likes.
Check: What does Emi like? The sentence doesn't name the drink! The word what stands in for that missing thing (the thing Emi likes). So use what.
Side-by-Side Comparison:
• I heard that Ken bought a new bike. (You heard the whole fact: Ken bought a bike.)
• I heard what Ken bought. (You heard about the item Ken purchased.)
Part 4: Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them
Mistake 1: Forgetting that a that-clause needs a full subject and verb
• Incorrect: I think that very difficult. (Missing a verb!)
• Correct: I think that it is very difficult.
Tip: A that-clause is a real mini-sentence. It always needs its own subject and verb!
Mistake 2: Mixing up question order inside what-clauses
• Incorrect: I don't know what does he like.
• Correct: I don't know what he likes.
Tip: Never use helping words like do / does / did in this clause unless they are part of a negative idea like what he didn't like.
Mistake 3: Overthinking the grammar terms
In actual conversation, you don't need to stop and say "I am forming an SVO pattern with a subordinate clause." Instead, practice these handy conversational starters until they flow naturally:
• "I think that..." (to give your opinion)
• "I hope that..." (to express good wishes)
• "Do you know what...?" (to ask for information)
Summary and Self-Check
Quick Review Box
• S + V + that-clause: Expresses thoughts, facts, opinions, or hopes.
Example: I think (that) tomorrow will be a great day.
• that omission: that can be omitted, especially in casual speech and writing.
• S + V + what-clause: Expresses "the thing that..." or asks/tells about specific information.
Example: I know what you need.
• Clause word order: Inside the what-clause, always keep statement order: what + subject + verb.
Try It Yourself!
Test your understanding with these three quick practice checks:
1. Turn this into a sentence: I think + (math is interesting).
Answer: I think that math is interesting. (Or: I think math is interesting.)
2. Fix the error: I know what is your name.
Answer: I know what your name is. (Subject your name comes before the verb is!)
3. Choose the right word (that or what): Do you understand (that / what) the teacher said?
Answer: what (The teacher said something, and what represents those words!).
Great job! You now have the power to express deeper, more interesting ideas whenever you speak or write in English.